


Between the fire and the stars

by Lyra_Roth



Series: Lyra's backstory [2]
Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series), Helluva Boss (Web Series)
Genre: I'm such a cruel creator, Lyra - Freeform, Lyra you are precious and don't deserve anything I'm making you go through, Original character's backstory, i love you bby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:28:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25939687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyra_Roth/pseuds/Lyra_Roth
Summary: It was still February and Lyra didn't know, but that day would be the last day of her summer.
Series: Lyra's backstory [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879867
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. The last day of her summer

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Entre o fogo e as estrelas](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25903387) by [Lyra_Roth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyra_Roth/pseuds/Lyra_Roth). 



> Finally translated, and it took less time than i thought it would! Thank you SO much Patricia for proofreading this for me Uwu
> 
> So after months addicted to HH, I decided to create a character and work on her backstory! ^W^ Yes, she has my pseudonym because I really like 'Lyra' and I wasn't feeling much creative when i named her.
> 
> The pic doesn't belong to me but to artstation.com/aenamiart
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

_"Standing there, killing time  
Can't commit to anything but a crime  
Peter's on vacation, an open invitation  
Animals, evidence  
Pearly gates look more like a picket fence  
Once you get inside 'em  
Got friends but can't invite them"_

* * *

It was the end of another Wednesday afternoon. The weather was muggy, a gentle breeze blowing helping a little, but it wasn't able to ease much of the early February heat. The sound of the honks and ceaseless tires were present all across Paulista Avenue. The sidewalks were crowded, as expected, people going from there to here nonstop, and the young woman was already heading home.

They were on summer break, which meant Lyra could in theory stay outside longer. But it was 7PM, it was hellishly hot and they had been walking the whole day. Going back home was all they were wishing at that moment.

The plan was for the three of them to go together to the subway. Not only for safety purposes but also because they got along very well and rarely could be seen alone, without the company of the others. It was the result of almost two decades of friendship tested with iron and fire. Lyra, Beatriz and Levi had spent the whole childhood and adolescence together and had endured very similar problems. Since their parents were great scholars of the magical world, the three of them had had a great amount of contact with knowledge from _the occult—_ knowledge hidden even for the magic practitioners, because even if they were a minority in the seven billion people that existed, when it came to the study of spells, curses and magical creatures, few individuals knew as much as those scholars in that field. Centuries of knowledge inside those books they so enthusiastically read were taught to those three young mages; enough so with a little more practice and study they could turn out to be brilliant sorcerers.

Except it was not what any of them wanted to be. Lyra and Levi always shared a liking for arts, and while the first one was sure to be on the right track in music college, Levi had always been addicted to drawing and painting, and that would be his first year in animation school. Beatriz had finally accepted she wanted to be a doctor, and although it was the third year she was studying to enter medical school, having a clear goal had given her new strength to continue fighting.

Their option had never been a problem for Beatriz and Lyra’s parents. Although surprised, they had always had their unconditional support. Differently from Levi’s parents, that agreed with all the rest of the magical world that was a _waste of talent._ How could they, three young students with so many opportunities and so much determination, want to throw away a possibly brilliant career in the magic to dedicate themselves to such mundane careers? Not that they were _less_ , medicine and art had their merits of course, what would the world be without Endgame and the possibility of a safer heart surgery? They were important, without a doubt, but magic was different. It was not everybody that had that opportunity, and it was such a noble path to follow... Exchanging that for an ordinary life was... almost unacceptable!

Despite the woes, they remained together all the time. During childhood, while balancing common classes at school with the differentiated practices at home with their parents; during the teenage years, as they discovered not only the dangers of both worlds to which they belonged, but also themselves. They had finally reached adulthood and still loved each others’ company. They were inseparable and at that moment, they felt invincible too.

There was no reason for things to go wrong, much less on that particular day. It seems, however, that things that go wrong don’t always need a reason to go wrong. Sometimes the problems just show up, give you a punt on the head, and then you have to deal with the painful bruise in the middle of your face.

Ah, the essence of adulthood.

“Let’s go to the Starbucks first!!” Beatriz suggested excitedly when Lyra finally pointed towards the subway entrance a few meters ahead.

“Bea, we just ate!” was Levi’s answer “You literally ordered a big Coke less than fifteen minutes ago!”

“But they have that frappuccino I _loooove_ and I want to taste that new donut so much! There’s a Starbucks right _there_ , _c'mooooooon”_

She started to pull her friends by the sleeves in an apparently desperate request, and they both knew very well that she would either drag them to the store, or she was going to keep complaining about it until they split up in the bus terminal. It was a forty minutes ride, and at that hour they wouldn’t even be able to sit. Maybe it would be better to just accept her craving and have peace during the trip.

“Well, there’s a Starbucks right there indeed” Lyra pondered adjusting her dark strands “It doesn’t take too long, either...”

He sighed, clearly defeated as they were already crossing the street.

“Okay, okay...” They pushed the doors, Beatriz excitedly entering the place with skips “It won’t be that crowded, it’s a Wednesday after all, right?”

***

Ended up the place was awfully crowded. They had to slither in very carefully and remind Beatriz that any sudden movements at that moment could result in an unfortunate accident involving hot coffee and strangers. The three of them remained huddled, crammed into the huge queue that almost reached the front doors while customers passed back and forth nonstop, and finally the blond was the next to order. It was obviously at this point she realized she didn’t know exactly what she wanted.

“Should I get the one with condensed milk or with chocolate?”

Levi looked at her, unbelieving.

“WhA- But didn’t you come here because of the one with condensed milk?”

“Well, yeah, but the chocolate one comes with those adorable squared sprinkles, and I love them because they are so crunchy, you know? So now I’m not sure anymore...”

“Well” He snorted with scorn, but years of friendship made it clear he was much less sour than he made it look like “You better decide fast, because you’re the next.”

She panicked a little.

“Oh my _gawd_. Good afternoon, sir” And Beatriz proceeded trying to gain as much time from the attendant as she could to make up her mind. She poked at Lyra to ask for her opinion, but the brunette couldn’t care less about her friend’s query. She would usually not mind helping her, but not that time. No, because Lyra was too focused on questions of her own. A sudden, random thought that for some reason she couldn’t ignore and now was plaguing her mind on and on.

_I could totally steal those tiny candies._

Only an idea.

_I could take one._

A whisper that didn’t stop.

_I could take one and hide it in my pocket._

Regardless of how hard she tried to get rid of it, it always came back. Stronger.

But she didn’t need that candy. She had just finished eating less than twenty minutes ago.

_But I want to take this candy._

But she didn’t even like this candy, it was too strong for the girl’s taste.

_I will take it._

Lyra quietly looked to the right and to the left. She was leaning against the counter, left arm resting next to the candy basket. She looked at her friends. Bea was paying the attendant and no one else was paying attention to her. The little brunette’s hand quickly wrapped the candy, and when the three friends finally went to the other counter to wait for Beatriz’s order, Lyra just had to worry about not letting the candy fall out of her shorts’ pocket.

“What’s up, Ly?”

Her eyes went wide open. Oh, no...

“W-what is? I... don’t know. I’m just waiting with you two.”

“You were like, deep in thoughts. I talked to you and you didn’t even answer...”

“She is tired” Levi replied, shrugging at them .“I am too”

Lyra licked her lips.

“I’m only tired... in the best ways, though. Spending time with you two always makes my day. And the air conditioner also feels great...”

“Ah, this air conditioner...” The blond was going to say something, but the attendant called her name and she went to take her drink with sparkling eyes. Taking a long sip, she sighed ruefully “I can’t believe we’ll have to go outside again...”

“And the subway now...” Levi completed, chuckling, but both of the girls knew he actually wanted to whine.

They continued to complain, but Lyra couldn’t pay attention to anything but the low plastic noise that could give her away with every step she took. They left the store and that nasty heat wave hit them. Still, Lyra’s sigh was a sigh of relief. She had done it, had taken the candy without anybody noticing. Joy flowed with the adrenaline in her veins, so rewarding and delicious, followed by a thread of guilt that widened and was becoming bigger and bigger and bigger...

“You’re so quiet!” Beatriz commented and pulled Lyra out of that endless spiral of thoughts. The brunette continued walking, following them but avoiding to look them in the eyes. Each movement made the sensation of the candy against her leg more and more evidente; the plastic noise seemed to be so loud now... how could they not hear it? How could they not have realized it now? Not even the hellish heat around her bothered the witch as much as the presence of that candy in her pocket.

“No. I’m... just thinking about the air conditioner inside the subway. C’mon!” She passed them at last and entered the subway. Praying that by some miracle they had not noticed anything about that damn candy.

***

The door was carefully closed and her hands were shaking. She wasn’t hungry, she had money and didn’t even like that candy. Even then, she had stolen. Why? Why the sudden desire to steal something so cheap and random?

The young woman locked the door and sat on the wooden floor, back leaning on the bed and head tucked between the legs. Thinking, thinking... All she was able to feel was shame and a huge mental confusion.

She was just a filthy thief? Was it all she really was?

Sticking her hand into the bag, trembling fingers revealed the object she had stolen. It was a simple, common candy, the establishment wasn’t gonna miss it for sure, but the thing was Lyra didn’t need that. Despite the momentary joy and feeling of victory that had taken over her at the moment she escaped, the fact was she didn’t even _want_ the candy.

The room was dark. Lyra had not bothered turning on the light. She didn’t want to look at anything for a while. She didn’t want to look at the candy and remember what she just did, or see the hands that had caught it. The candy fell from her hands and rolled under the bed, and Lyra let out the most rueful sigh she had given in a long time. All the girl wanted to do was to close her eyes and forget what happened. But she wasn’t able to. There on the floor the witch could see the window and the stars outside, the intense purple of the night invading the room and dyeing the bed, the floor and the tears that dripped from the light brown skin as she allowed herself to lie on there. She was so confused, she didn’t know what to think anymore.

Lyra didn’t know it yet, but that would be the first in a series of events that would lead her to her doom.


	2. Gato

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. It took longer than i expected to translate it all....... but you know. College and stuff and thesis and 2020 in general. At least it's finished now, so you can count this as a christmas gift for you all!
> 
> Hope you have a merry christmas and happy holidays, whatever they are. Hang on in there, people. Everything will be alright.

Floor, wall, hands; floor, wall, hands. A sigh of relief left her mouth when the tiny rubber ball finally came back to Lyra’s hands. The things on the desk were still unbroken, so the witch thought maybe her mom was actually right. Maybe it was a good time to stop that game of throwing the ball on the wall, before it went terribly wrong. She’d never forgive herself if the ball broke her drawing tablet.

“But what happened then?” Levi asked upside down while he looked at Beatriz from the bed. Legs stretched out leaning on the wall, head hanging between the bed and the floor, the boy was comfortably lying on Lyra’s bed, eyes glued on the other girl while she spoke. Unlike Lyra, who although was indeed paying attention, couldn’t keep her eyes on the same thing for ten seconds even if she was paid to do so.

The blonde sighed in a mix of tiredness and resentment and threw her body back suddenly, in order to get more momentum in the rocking chair.

“Ah, it was supposed to be a normal visit, y’know? Ananda had asked for an appointment with my parents, to ask a few things about her Project or something like this. She came before lunch and left around 3PM after spending the whole time in our library. I stayed there for a while, to see what was her idea this time but... I got bored soon and left...” She chuckled “I think she wanted to know more about the process of awakening people’s inner magic and energy transference... Uh, I don’t know. I stopped paying attention at that point. Why can’t she just study something normal in the magical world, for a change?!”

Lyra pondered the words for a while, spinning the ball in her hands, but said nothing. Levi shrugged at her side.

“I dunno. All studies are valid, she can study whatever she wants to. And it’s from the least orthodox things that the best inventions come out!”

“Yeah, but she is all weird with this thing, about taking energy and... and all. Why doesn’t she study the cool animals that keep showing up in the Ibirapuera? Or... that strange part of the Estação da Luz, that no matter how much they clean, it’s always smelling weird...?”

Blink, blink. They looked at each other on the bed, and then to Bea again. Then Levi decided to talk.

“The smell in Luz is just piss. There’s nothing magical about it”

“YEAH BUT-”

“WELL” Lyra made a point of interfering before it turned into a heated argument about pee “We have to admit her behaviour is... uh, suspicious. Everything that was done to this day trying to connect souls like this has gone terribly wrong. Not to mention there’s not much to work with without entering a very questionable area of morality...”

“SEE?” The other gestured to Lyra, and then to the boy “And of course my parents told her for the thousandth time that the resources for this research would be very limited because it involves too many risks and she wouldn’t have volunteers to experiment on. Because, hm, OF COURSE. And didn’t she go after your parents before, Ly?”

“Yep”

“And..? What did they tell her, what happened?”

Lyra shrugged, leaning on the wall behind her.

“They said what your parents said, basically. That it was an interesting field, but difficult to be properly studied. Also, I don’t know what happened that day because I was busy and had homework, so I ended up going to my room, but when Ananda left, she was FURIOUS, and my parents said she will never step in our house because she is _crazy_.

“Well, she is crazy indeed.” Levi admitted, and the room was taken by a moment of silence. The only noise was that of the wood creaking as Beatriz swayed on the chair.

“Do you know what else she said that day? Did I tell you about Gato **[1]**?”

Lyra put the ball on the bed. Slowly. Confused.

“...No... What. What did she say about him?”

Bea sat upon the chair, body emanating agitation.

“She came with a very weird conversation about animals, and guinea pigs, and then asked us if she could borrow Gato for a while!”

Levi choked. Lyra had to blink a few times to make sure no, she wasn’t dreaming and yes, Beatriz had said just that.

“She asked to borrow _Gato_??!”

“Yes! ‘Borrow’” She gestured the quotes “As if we would really borrow him!! No fucking way! Fuck her and all her madness, she won’t ever touch Gato!”

But the truth was that Gato wasn’t actually a cat. It was a rare species of a magical creature capable of changing its shape at will and, therefore, it just looked very much like an ordinary cat. A fascinating animal indeed, and precisely why it shouldn’t be subject to any procedure commanded by that madwoman. Only God could know what she’d be doing with whatever fell on her hands!

“And what did your mom say?” Levi picked up the little ball next to him and spun it until it fell on the floor. He stretched without getting up and collected the toy to go back to spinning it “ _begone, thot!_?”

They all laughed.

“No! But judging by her face, I think it was what she wanted to say! She said he needed specific cares and he would be sad without us, even if it was for a short period of time.”

“Well, it’s fai-”

“Which is a lie, because that little guy eats anything and everything, and has spent days away from home. But Ananda doesn’t need to know it.”

“Whatever” Lyra laughed “They’re valid points. And if she bought them, it’s the only thing that matters.”

“Yeah!” Levi agreed, stretching again to get the ball.

“No, she didn’t buy it. The next thing she said was that ‘a magical creature doesn’t need that much care and it would be a real quick study and blahblahblah’” Sarcastically mimicking the woman, Bea made a grimace.

“Bullshit. Some magical creatures need a lot of care.”

“I mean, she was right in this case, but she can also shove reason up her ass. I won’t give her my cat.”

Lyra burst into laughter.

“And did she freak out?”

The blonde huffed.

“Girl, if she did... but mom was firm and Ananda had to go. It wasn’t like with your parents, Ly, but... Well...”

This time the ball fell and rolled away. The brunette looked sideways at her friend and sighed when the toy stopped near the rocking chair.

“And how long has it been?”

“A month? Dunno... A month and a half?”

Silence again. Levi was sprawled on the bed and had clearly given up getting back the toy, even though half of his body was already on the floor. Lyra would always find it fascinating how different Levi behaved in public and how he was when they were alone. He was so much more serious on the outside, always scolding the two girls, but on the inside, he was just as silly as they were, and when they were alone, just the three of them, the curly-haired boy let it show very well.

“You think it will be okay?” He asked.

“What?”

“Your parents. You think Ananda will come to bother them again or...?”

“Like she does with my parents?” Lyra laughed, but she didn’t find it actually funny. At all. Since her parents and Ananda fought, that witch never let them alone again. It wasn’t the kind of thing that actually threatened their physical integrity, however it was a fact she often tried to sabotage their projects, even the personal ones.

“They fought for real,” The brunette affirmed, pondering her words “I was kinda thinking they would punt her from this house, I think it would be the next step if she hadn’t left.”

“Aahh” Bea sighed in clear mockery “But NOW that you told me this I’m _chill_ , yeah!”

Lyra twisted her mouth to the other, gesturing with her hand as if it was nothing.

“Shush, relax. It will be awkward, that’s what I meant. It could be worse. Yours didn’t fight for real with her. There will be a tense mood while they’re in the same room, but I don’t think there will be more than this.”

And again the blonde sighed, reclining on the rocking chair; Lyra laid back on the wall, rejoicing in the coldness of it as she watched the sunlight dying outside.

“But do you know what Ananda said for your mom? For them to want to punt her out?” It was Levi’s turn to ask, and Lyra’s turn to sigh.

“The worst part is that I don’t know very well. They didn’t want to explain, I tried to find out but there wasn’t much to dig in. I can only imagine it was something illegal. Or of _questionable_ _nature._ "

The brunette let her back run on the wall until she was laying beside Levi, who had come back from the floor without any other word. Beatriz only looked at the two but didn’t say any other word. The only sound the trio could hear was from the infinite traffic and a few birds that were singing their last songs before going to sleep.

“What time is it?”

Lyra picked the cellphone from the nightstand.

“Seven” A few more instants of tense silence “Do you guys want to have dinner here? We could make pastry!”

The brunette’s shoulder finally relaxed when she saw Bea’s wide grin. Levi, however, looked at them both as if Lyra had said something particularly stupid.

“What?”

“Last time we cooked together, we spent two hours trying to get hardened sugar out of the bottle of the pan” But he ended up smiling at the end. Clown. “I’m in.”

***

The week went on without any major problems; at least until the end of her second class, three days later, when Lyra received seven missed calls and a huge text she wasn’t able to read because it was soon deleted. Then Beatriz was typing, typing, typing for an eternity and the brunette was almost losing her patience when the other witch finally decided what to say.

It was a single message.

_“Lyra, Gato DISAPPEARED”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] "Gato" in portuguese means "cat", so yea, Bea named her "cat" as "Cat". Even if the cat is NOT a cat after all. Heheheh. 
> 
> I know, i know. Not the climax yet, but we're getting there, i promise ;)
> 
> Also huge thank you to @Capimomma to proof reading this for me <3
> 
> Kisses kisses and see you soon!

**Author's Note:**

> It all started with this account i made to RP with Lyra, so if you guys want to follow me there it's @HerWildSide on twitter
> 
> Next chapter will be released... next week? Maybe? I want to post frequently, but i can't promise anything yet because /college/ *laughs nervously*
> 
> Anyway. That's it. Just a brief introduction to Lyra's story, because things will escalate quickly from here heheh.
> 
> Kisses kisses, and i see you soon, i hope ;)


End file.
